Main Role:
Game Design Lead
3D Artist
Team Distribution:
1 Game Design Lead
1 Producer & Audio Designer
1 Tech Lead
2 Programmers
1 UX Designer
Project Duration:
7 weeks
15 hours/week (approx. 105 hours)
Tools Used:
Unity 6
Blender
Adobe Substance Painter
Adobe Photoshop
Overview
Xibalba is a first-person horror exploration game set in the Mayan underworld. Players must navigate the mazes of the underworld while solving puzzles and face enemies to succeed. The design of the game places a great emphasis on making sense of the layout of the map and figuring out the behaviors of the enemies.
As the design lead on the team, it was my role to invent the game loop, design the levels and conceptualize the puzzles. I also created many custom 3D assets, textures and animations for the game.
Level Design
Since the underground setting wasn’t suitable for landmarks that would help in navigation, I carved out a main route with several branches and guided players with strategically placed lights and asymmetrical level design to make the space more readable.
To get the most out of the limited time we had, I designed a hub area with interconnected paths. Most of these paths are locked behind gates that require solving puzzles or outsmarting enemies, and each of them leads back to the hub. I also made sure the first thing players see upon returning to the hub is the central healing statue, making it clear how different parts of the level connect.
Level layout
Greyboxing
Final level overview
Game Design
The innovation of Xibalba’s game design comes from how health is integrated into gameplay. Players acquire a dagger early on, and their health is displayed directly on it. They are expected to sacrifice their own blood to please the gods, and once they gain the light power, it starts draining health if overused. This mechanic forces players to manage their health as a resource, which allowed me to experiment with some interesting gameplay elements.
For example, I designed puzzles that require careful use of light and being strategic about what to spend health on to illuminate. I also utilized it to guide player attention more efficiently through environmental lighting, as they couldn’t simply rely on their light power like a limitless torch.
Based on these ideas, I designed the following core game loop:
-
Navigate the darkness
-
Manage your light power
-
Solve puzzles to progress deeper into the dark
